Android M Developer Preview 3 update: where is it?
The
Android M Developer Preview 3 release date has been pushed back by
Google. It was initially due to roll out in late July but on 30 July
2015, Android Developer Advocate Wojtek Kaliciński took to Google+ to announce the delay, writing: “We
want this to be a near final release to test your apps on, but we need a
little more time to get it out to you.” Kaliciński went on to call for
people to “be patient and refrain from posting speculations about the
release date in the community.” But
we’re going to speculate anyway, and take a guess that we’ll see Android
M Developer Preview 3 some time towards the end of August and then a
final release of Android M in early October. The
second preview of Android M was delivered by over-the-air update in
early July. We’ll let you know when Preview 3 becomes available.
Android M Developer Preview 2 update: what's new?
Visual Voicemail
Information gleaned from the Android Developer Preview issue tracker page has indicated that Android M will include Visual Voicemail service accessible from the dialer. According to a report by Android Police,
it appears that T-Mobile and Orange France will be the only two
carriers to support the functionality, but more are sure to follow
(after all, Android M is still in its early stages).
What is visual voicemail? It's basically how it
sounds: visual voicemail presents your voicemail with a visual
interface, rather than the audio-based setup like in current Android
smartphones — whereby you call your carrier and listen for instructions.
Though it may seem like a small addition, the functionality requires
cooperation from carriers, which may suggest why few are currently on
board. Rotating home screen
Another
surprisingly slow feature to make it to Android, the screen rotation
function for the home screen has finally made an appearance. Now you can
use your phone in landscape format both in apps and on the home screen.
Dark theme is gone
The dark theme in
the first version of Android M kind of stole the show when everyone
flashed it at I/O. Sure, the other changes were great but stock support
for themes has been a long time overdue. For some unknown reason though,
Google has decided to remove the dark theme from the second version of
the Android M preview.
We're not sure why this has happened or if
it's a permanent removal, but we're hoping to see the dark theme make a
triumphant return – in more than just the Settings menu – when Android M
is finalized in a couple of months.
App drawer has been fixed
While we
commend Google on trying a new, vertical-scrolling app drawer, the
alphabetical dividers on the left and negative space at the end of some
sections was a bad idea. The new Android M removes these and is faster
to navigate because you have more app icons on screen. It still scrolls
vertically though.
Delete screenshots
The second version
of the Android M developer preview has added a new delete option to the
screenshot preview in the notifications shade. Previously you just had
the option to share a screenshot from the notifications. Now you can
delete it as well. Remove status bar icons
This
is possibly my favorite new feature: toggles for which icons you see in
the status bar. If, for example, you always have Bluetooth on and don't
really need a persistent icon taking up space in your status bar, now
you can simply remove it. The same goes for the Cast icon, hotspot, Do
Not Disturb, alarm set, work profile, Wi-Fi, cellular data and more.
They're available in the new System UI Tuner, which needs to
be enabled in Developer Options (to enable this, go to Settings >
About Phone and tap Build Number seven times. You'll now see Developer
Options at the bottom of the Settings menu.)
RAM Manager
The memory section is now
located front and center in the Settings menu. I'm not sure how often
the average user is going to want to check in on memory usage, but
having it plainly visible will hopefully cause more people to become
familiar with what RAM management is and what you can use it for.
Network Settings Reset option
Hidden
away in the Backup and Reset settings is another new feature called
Network Settings Reset. This lets you instantly wipe all of your network
settings, including Wi-Fi connections, cellular data and Bluetooth
connections.
Storage gets a makeover
Internal
storage is always a hassle for smartphone users. Even with microSD
expansion and USB On The Go (OTG) you always seem to need to keep an eye
on available storage space. The new version of Android M introduces a
simple line bar that shows how much space you have on your device with a
breakdown of what is using up your internal storage.
Android M developer preview (version one): what's new?
At I/O, Google VP of Engineering David Burke outlined six major Android M features. Read on for the full list or find out how to install Android M right now.
1. App permissions
First
up, app permissions. As had previously been speculated, app permissions
have been overhauled in Android M, with users now being able to choose
to accept or deny individual permissions as they see fit. Permissions
have also been simplified.
Permissions will now be requested the
first time you try to use a feature, not at the point of
installation. "You don't have to agree to permissions that don't make
sense to you," Burke said, and used WhatsApp to give an example of how
this works.
If you want to record a voice message, WhatsApp
will prompt you with a one-time request for permission to use your mic:
if you still wish to give it access and record the message, you can, but
you don't have to. Android M is giving users greater control
of the information apps can access, and this is a truly positive step
forward for Android.
You can modify the permissions granted to
apps at a later date in your Settings, or you can view permissions by
type and see which apps have that permission granted. It's all about
giving the user complete control over their Android.
2. Web experience
Google has been exploring trends
in the way web content is consumed to provide a better user-experience
when interacting with websites and apps. "Chrome Custom Tabs is a new
feature that gives developers a way to harness all of Chrome's
capabilities, while still keeping control of the look and feel of the
experience," said Burke.
Chrome Custom Tabs will allow apps to
open a customized Chrome window on top of the active app, instead of
launching the Chrome app separately. This will provide a faster and more
intuitive user-experience when navigating between apps and the web.
Chrome
Custom Tabs supports automatic sign-in, saved passwords, autofill, and
multi-process security to assist the integration of the app and web
experience. So, for example, a Pinterest custom tab will have a
Pinterest share button embedded in it, can include custom overflow menu
options and doesn't require the Pinterest developers to build their own
web browser.
3. Fingerprint support
Google will "standardize
support" for fingerprint scanners on phones running Android M. The new
functionality will allow fingerprint scanners to be used not only to
unlock phones, but to make purchases shopping in real-life or
within Play Store apps.
Of course, your device will need a
hardware fingerprint scanner to begin with, but with Google's full
support, expect to see these appear on many more devices in the future.
4. Mobile payments
Android
Pay is Google's new mobile payments system designed to make the
checkout process easier and faster. Google is aiming to
provide "simplicity, security, and choice" with Android Pay, allowing
you to use your existing credit cards to pay for products in more than
700,000 stores in the US.
Compatible with any device housing NFC
capabilities (and running 4.4 KitKat or above), the Android Pay platform
is being supported by American Express, Visa, Mastercard, and Discover,
as well as carriers such as AT&T, Verizon and T-Mobile. Google's
response to Apple pay is here.
5. App links
"When a user selects a weblink from
somewhere, Android doesn't know whether to show it in a web-browser, or
some other app that claims support for the link." This was the problem
facing the Google developers before Android M.
You may be
familiar with the 'Open with' dialogue box which appears when you try to
open a link within an app on Android. You might be asked if you want to
open a link with YouTube, or with Chrome, for example.
App links
are being changed in M so that Android has a greater awareness of which
apps can open content directly, instead of stopping users every time
with the dialog box. If you tap a Twitter link in an email, for example,
the Twitter app will open automatically instead of prompting you to ask
if you want to use Twitter to view it.
This is almost a
blink-and-you'll-miss-it improvement, but it's representative of
Google's attention to detail: Android M is probably going to feel more
usable without the user ever understanding why.
6. Power and charging
Android
M makes use of a new function known as Doze to improve device standby
time. By using motion detectors, Android will recognize when devices
haven’t been interacted with for a while, such as when a person is
asleep or a device has been left on a table, to reduce
background processes.
Burke said that Google tested two Nexus 9
devices, one running Lollipop and one running the Android M preview, and
learned that M will provide up to two-times longer standby time. Even
in Doze mode, your Android can still start alarms or notify you of
priority notifications.
Android M also supports USB Type-C which provides faster charging, and lets users charge other devices with their phone.
Android M release date
The Android M Developer
Preview is available now for Nexus 5, Nexus 6, Nexus 9 and Nexus Player,
and the final version is due to launch in Q3, 2015.
What else is new in Android M?
Auto Backup and Restore for Apps
Possibly
the most interesting aspect of Android M not discussed in Google’s I/O
keynote speech was Android Auto Backup and Restore for Apps. This
feature will be used in conjunction with Google Drive to automatically
backup app data and settings with a file size of 25 MB or less.
These
backups occur no more than once per day, and run only when the device
is idle and connected to Wi-Fi and power. The uploaded data does not
count towards your Google Drive storage quota, and is encrypted.
If
you lose your device or delete the app, your previous progress will be
restored the next time you install it, and it even works with apps which
are side-loaded or accessed through a third-party app store. New app drawer
One
of the most immediately noticeable visual changes to Android M is the
new app drawer. This now scrolls vertically instead of horizontally, and
is held against a white background, rather than a muted shade of your
homepage wallpaper. Across the top of the menu you will see your four
most recently used apps.
Android M RAM manager
Google has
introduced a new RAM manager to Android M with the aim of providing
users with more accurate and comprehensible information regarding the
maximum and average RAM usage of apps.
The menu can be found in
Settings > Apps > Options (three dots button) > Advanced >
Memory. Though it's a little hard to navigate to, the page offers a far
clearer insight into app demands, and the overall effect they will have
on your device.
With a reading of an individual app's RAM
consumption, as well as how often it is running in the background, users
will be able to better determine which apps should be removed in
endless bid to increase device performance and battery life.
Android
M even includes a simple bar at the top of the page displaying the
current performance status of a person's handset; if it says "good
performance", you're likely running an efficient set of apps.
Saavn Pro 3.3 Cracked Apk is Here !
Saavn brings you free,
unlimited access to all your favorite Bollywood, Indian regional, and
English* music – wherever you go. Find your favorite songs and artists,
create your own playlists, enjoy sets from our expert curators, or play
custom radio stations from any song or artist – Saavn delivers the
perfect music, every time. From the newest songs to hard-to-find
classics, Saavn’s catalog includes
millions of tracks across Hindi, English, Tamil, Telugu, Punjabi,
Marathi, Bengali, Kannada, Gujarati, Malayalam, and Bhojpuri. Listen to
all the best film music, bhangra, bhajans, ghazals, pop, remixes, and
more. Features of this app:
Listen Free – Unlimited, Anywhere, Anytime Play any song, on demand Create and save playlists Enjoy expert-curated playlists Saavn Radio – effortless, endless music for any mood, song, or artist
Syncs with your existing Saavn.com account
Saavn Pro
Download your music for listening offline, wirelessly No ads or interruptions 320kbps high-quality audio No contracts or obligations
Features of this mod
Removed all types of ads completely “Pro” is activated by default. Download any song in high quality (320kbps) 1st on net
How to Install ?
Download Link:- https://s03.solidfilesusercontent.com/…/d1…/Saavn-Pro-33.apk
The flash tool for Xperia™ is actually called Emma when
you install it in this Beta version, and it runs on all Windows
computers. This tool is confirmed working for most markets globally*,
with a few exceptions** due to distribution restrictions.
To install the flash tool, follow the steps below:
Unzip the file you downloaded and place it somewhere on your computer.
In the unzipped folder, run Emma.exe.During the installation, make sure you remember the installation path:
Default path in Windows 64 bit is: “C:\Program Files (x86)\Sony Mobile\Emma\”
Default path in Windows 32 bit is: “C:\Program Files\Sony Mobile\Emma\”
Copy the Customization.ini file. You find it in the Flash_tool_for_Xperia_X.zip.
Paste the Customization.ini file into the installation folder. The installation folder is the folder named Emma in the installation path examples on point 3.1 and 3.2 above.
Click Start > All programs > Sony Mobile > Emma (if you used the default installation path from step 3 above) to start the flash tool
When you have installed the flash tool for Xperia™, you can flash standard Sony software on your unlocked Xperia™ device. Note! When
you flash software onto your device, your user data and content will be
erased. Make sure to properly back up all information.
This is how you flash software on your phone:
Computer: Open Emma from the Start menu of your computer.
Connect a USB cable to your computer.
Phone: Turn off your phone.
Connect your phone to the USB cable while holding the flash key (for example Volume down). The flash key varies between models. For a complete key mapping, see the supported phonespage.
Screenshot showing the flash tool when a phone is connected.
Computer: Select the software you want to flash in the Service list. The tool automatically detects the phone model and lists available software versions, which are called Services in this flash tool.
Click on Apply Service. The phone will now be flashed.
Phone: When you have flashed your device, you can disconnectyour
phone from the computer. The first time you start your device after you
have flashed it, the boot-up might take a little longer than normal.
Notorious hacker Geohot (George
Hotz) has turned his attention to rooting Android handsets and appears
to have come up trumps with his latest exploit. For those that don’t
know, Geohot managed to successfully jailbreak the PlayStation 3, which
led to him being sued by Sony.
He has created Towelroot, which is an apk file that theoretically
should be able to root pretty much any Android device using a kernel
built before 3 June 2014 (Android 4.4.2 KitKat and lower).
A number of Sony Xperia users are reporting success in rooting their
devices using towelroot including Xperia Z and ZL owners running the
latest KitKat update and Xperia SP owners running Android 4.3. Other success stories have been reported by Xperia M, Xperia Z1 Compact and Xperia M2 owners.
To try it yourself, all you need to do is head over to the Towelroot website,
click on the lambda and download the apk. Then simply run towelroot
i.e. tap “make it ra1n,” to see if it has worked. Some users have
problems with SU binaries not updating, if that happens to be the case,
use the latest version from here. There is also a very large XDA thread discussing towelroot here.